Twilight Elysium

Chapter 6: Esidisi literally lives in hell

Double Update bc I love you guys

Bolded Italics is draconic in this chapter just so you know

As soon as Santana had heard of the Cigam City tragedy, he immediately went to Kars. He was worried that (Y/N) might have been hurt. He knocked on the door to Kars' throne room before entering.

"Your grace? I'm afraid I have some bad news," Santana sputtered.

"Well?" Kars snapped, "Spit it out."

Santana swallowed thickly, "Cigam City was attacked yesterday. It was burned to the ground."
He watched Kars' face for any signs of emotion. All he saw was a deep frown of confusion.

"Why would I care about some human city? They burn down every other day," Kars spat. Santana's eyes raised in shock.

"I don't know if (Y/N) made it out alive," Santana said, his voice barely above a whisper. That seemed to interest Kars.

"Oh, (Y/N), right. Um, is there any way you could find out if she's okay?" Kars questioned, picking at his nails. The way Kars was acting left an extremely bitter taste in Santana's mouth.

"I tried already, there was no-"

"Then try harder!" Kars hissed, "For the god of knowledge, you seem very incompetent."

Santana clenched his knuckles at his sides. His eye twitched in anger.

"If I'm so incompetent, then maybe you should look for yourself," Santana uttered in a low voice. It was the only way he could keep himself from screaming.

He didn't hear what Kars swore at him, but he assumed it wasn't savory. An odd feeling planted itself in Santana's stomach.

~

It seemed that Santana wasn't the only one that noticed the sudden shift in Kars' behavior. All of those that were close to him noted that he was acting strange. Esidisi even claimed that he wasn't speaking in the same manner or using the same words he normally would.

"I think you should bring out Xydras. He can find her within a short span," Esidisi offered, "I know you love him so."

Santana smiled, "But we shouldn't use Xydras so liberally. He's supposed to be used specif-"

"Oh, come off it, Santana, he needs his exercise. He hasn't gotten out in a long time. Unless you want to pull out your Beholder, I give you permission to summon my Xydras," Esidisi said, resting a hand on Santana's shoulder.

~

Santana descended deeper into The Forge, the horrible smell of pumice and sulfur assaulting his nostrils. He didn't know how Esidisi could stand the smell. Then again, Esidisi was always a little bit singed and burnt. The heat made Santana sweat a little bit. He had to take off his hood, which was rare.

The Forge was a huge, smoldering furnace under the stronghold. Esidisi spent most of his time in the grueling heat. He claimed that it was a way to detoxify himself from all of the people. You only went down there for two things, in Santana's mind anyway. You either went down there to meet a premature death or talk to Esidisi.

The soothing glow of the furnace illuminated the stairs. As soon as Santana reached the bottom, he was hit with a deluge of memories. The one that came to mind was the first time he had ever met Xydras.

He was tiny, barely even able to walk when he had first met him. Santana remembered how he had held on to Esidisi's hand as he toddled into the forge and almost got his little eyebrows burnt off. He hadn't expected to see a 'big lizard', as he had called it.

The big smelting pot in the middle of the room was bubbling, meaning that Esidisi had probably already spoken to Xydras or was about to. Santana wiped his forehead to rid of the sweat. He planted himself neatly on the floor in front of the pot. He cleared his throat in preparation of summoning Xydras.

"Xydras, I, uh," Santana stuttered, he was blanking on how to bring the drake out. Surely there was some way. How did Esidisi do it? "Xydras? I-" His voice was caught in his throat.

He was interrupted by the loud bellow of Esidisi's Red Dragon. A huge puff of smoke billowed form the pot.

"Santana," Xydras purred in draconic, "Always so stuttering and fumbling. What do you need from me?"

Santana used to be so comfortable around the drake. He even had the gall to hang on to the dragon's horns and swing on them. Why couldn't he even manage a sentence? He watched as the gargantuan drake slowly emerged from the smelting pot. Xydras' forelegs touched the floor with a soft plink from each of the talons. For such a large creature, he was very stealthy. Warm, molten iron slipped off of his rich garnet scales. His back legs made the same quiet plinking noise. Santana watched as Xydras' large tail swept across the obsidian floors. He was absolutely mesmerized. Very slowly, the gargantuan red dragon lay down in front of the bewildered young god. Dark smoke vented from Xydras' beaked snout.

He let out a deep, throaty chuckle, "I remember when you were barely even the size of my nail. Now, look at you, standing so big and mighty."

The red dragon lightly poked Santana in the stomach. The young god let out a soft chuckle and scooted himself into the massive talon.

"I," Santana stuttered nervously, "I need your assistance. Kars seems to lack care for (Y/N), and we don't know what's happened to her. Her city was burned down-"

"BURNED DOWN?!" Xydras growled, "BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN MYSELF OR ESIDISI?!"

Santana grabbed a talon to avoid getting thrown back by the dragon's outburst.

"Yes," He responded, "And Kars showed no remorse."

"Well, if you hadn't noticed by now," Xydras hissed, "That isn't him. I can smell it on the disgusting interloper's body.

"Not him?" Santana repeated.

Xydras shook his head, "Kars hasn't been here for at least a moon. I'm surprised it's taken you this long to notice his absence and his impostor. I would recommend that you keep this knowledge to yourself and maybe two others. If this so called 'Kars' has replaced your father, then it is not a force to be reckoned with just yet."

"Now, run along, little god. I have a person to find, and a person to kill."